Beverage Can&#39;s Top Having A New Stay-On-Tab For Opening Both A Drinking Hole And An Air Hole Thereon

ABSTRACT

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a beverage can&#39;s top having a new tab design which would be the tool that could allow for the opening of both the drinking hole and air hole in the can&#39;s top. The tab may have different shapes and sizes. The length of the tab may be varied to facilitate the efficiency of the opening. The locations of the air hole and drinking hole are within the range of the can tab.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a beverage can's top and means for opening and, more particularly to a beverage can's top and a new stay-on-tab for severing both a large and small frangible portions thereon and creating a drinking hole and an air hole on the can's top respectively.

2. Description of Related Art

Typically, a beverage can is made of aluminum for holding beverage such as a carbonated soft drink, and alcoholic beverage, etc. An easy open beverage can normally employs one of several types of opening mechanisms that are affixed to the beverage can's top to open a drinking hole on the top.

Most of current easy opening beverage cans have a stay-on-tab opening mechanism. The mechanism uses a separate tab attached to the upper surface as a lever to push in a scored part of the top, creating an opening for the beverage to flow out of the can.

One recent modification to can design was Miller Coors' introduction of the Miller Lite's second hole on the top for air passage. The idea of a can that uses a second hole for air passage is not new for beverage cans. The air hole can be traced back to the beverage cans without tabs; they were opened by a can piercer, which punched two holes in the top—a large one for drinking, and a small one for air passage.

However, the Miller Lite's design requires a user to use their keys or some other self-provided object to puncture that second hole and a user has to press that object hard enough to open the air hole.

It is desirable to have a new tab design that allows for the opening of both frangible portions in the can's top without the need for additional tools or the need to use brute force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a new tab design which would be the tool that could allow for the opening of both drinking hole and air hole in the can top. The tab may have different shapes and sizes. The length of the tab may be varied to facilitate the efficiency of the opening. The locations of the air hole and drinking hole are within the range of the can tab.

The tab allows for some leverage to be used to open the air hole after the main drinking hole has been opened, thereby requiring less brute force to open the air hole.

In one embodiment, the new designed tab has a several millimeter “protrusion” on the back side of the tab typically where a person's index finger would be located to open the can. There are two purposes for this protrusion: one would be to make it easier to lift the tab to open the large frangible portions (drinking hole), and the second would be to facilitate the opening of the second small frangible portion (air hole) in the can to allow for air flow into the can, resulting in faster and smoother pouring.

In another embodiment, the new designed tab may be rotated around a rivet after the drinking hole is opened to open the air hole.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a conventional stay-on-tab can that has only one large drinking hole.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a can with a new tab according to a first embodiment of the present invention that can open both a large drinking hole and a small air hole.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a can with a new tab according to a second embodiment of the present invention that can open both a large drinking hole and a small air hole.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are top views of a can with a new tab according to a third embodiment of the present invention that can open both a large drinking hole and a small air hole.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a can with a new tab according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention that can open both a large drinking hole and a small air hole.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are top views of a can with a new tab according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention that can open both a large drinking hole and a small air hole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a conventional beverage can which has a stay-on-tab opening mechanism.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is disclosed a new beverage can's top 100 having a new tab design of the present invention. The beverage can's top has a large frangible portion 12 on the top plate 10 defined by a scoring line and a small frangible portion 14 defined by another scoring line. Both of the frangible portions are partially severable from the top plate 10 and are designed for drinking and air flow purpose respectively. The new stay-on-tab 20 designed to sever the frangible portions 12, 14 is pivotally and rotatably secured to a rivet 16 which is affixed to the top plate 10. The tab 20 has a wide end 21 which is adjacent the rivet 16 and the large frangible portion 12 and a narrow end 22 which is adjacent the small frangible portion 14. The narrow end 22 is the end of the tab typically where a person's index finger would be located to open the can. However, the narrow end 22 is different from the typical end in a convention can; the narrow 22 end in the present invention has a several millimeter “protrusion” that is capable of sever the small frangible portion 14.

The rivet 16 functions as a fulcrum for the tab 20 to pivot about and the tab 20 functions as a lever to facilitate opening of both the frangible portions 12, 14. When the tab's narrow end 22 is lifted up, the tab's wide end 21 is tilted towards the large frangible portion 12 and severs the large frangible portion 12 of the top, which folds beneath the top plate 10 of the can and out of the way of the resulting drinking hole for liquid to flow out. Similarly, the tab would allow for some leverage to be used to open the small frangible portion as an air hole after the large frangible portion is opened as a drinking hole, thereby requiring less brute force to open the small frangible portion. When the tab's wide end 21 is lifted up; the tab's narrow end 22 is tilted towards the small frangible portion 14 and severs the small frangible portion 14 of the top, creating an air hole.

In the first embodiment (FIG. 2), the rivet 16 is affixed to the center of the top plate 10; the wide end 21 is proximate the rivet 16 while the narrow end is distal the rivet 16. The distance d1 between the center of the rivet 16 and the tip of the wide end 21 is about the same as the shorter diameter d2 of the large frangible portion 12. In the second embodiment (FIG. 3), the distance d1 between the center of the rivet 16 and the tip of the wide end 21 is larger than the distance d1 measured in the first embodiment, allowing more leverage to be used to open the small frangible portion 14 for the air flow.

In the second embodiment (FIG. 3), after the small frangible portion 14 is opened for air flow, the tab 20 can be rotated and have the wide end 21 out of the way of the drinking hole 12 to enable easy drinking.

The tip of the tab's narrow end 22 must be smaller than the size of the small frangible portion 14; otherwise, it won't be able to sever the small portion 14. The tip may be of different shapes as shown in FIG. 3 or FIGS. 6A, 6B as long as the size is smaller than the size of the small frangible portion 14.

In another embodiment (FIG. 4A), the new stay-on-tab 20 having a first end with a small tip 23 designed to sever both the frangible portions 12, 14 and a second end to be lifted 25, is pivotally and rotatably secured to the rivet and coupled to the top plate via the rivet 16. When in use, rotate the tab 20 to have the small tip 23 face towards the frangible portion that is to be severed. For example, when severing the large frangible portion 12, rotate the tab around the rivet 16 and have the small tip 23 point to the large frangible portion 12 and lift the second end 25 to sever the portion 12 as shown in FIG. 4A. Then, rotate the tab 20 around the rivet 16 and have the small tip 23 face towards the small frangible portion 14 and lift the second end 25 to sever the small portion 14 as the air hole (as shown in FIG. 4B).

The small frangible portion 14 for the air passage may be located in different positions. It may be 180 degrees apart from the drinking hole as shown in FIGS. 2-4 or in other locations as shown in FIG. 5.

The tab's small tip 23 for opening must be smaller than the size of the small frangible portion 14; otherwise, it won't be able to sever the small portion 14. The tip 23 may be of different shapes as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B or FIGS. 6A, 6B as long as the size is smaller than the size of the small frangible portion 12. The tip 23 is sharp enough to sever the small frangible portion but dull enough to avoid cutting injury.

In overall, the tab 20 may have different shapes and sizes and, more particularly the length of the tab 20 may vary to enhance the functionality of the tab 20.

The construction of a typical stay-on-tab and the process of placing it on the top plate 10 of the beverage can are well known to those with ordinary skill in the arts.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism comprising: a top plate of a beverage can; a large frangible portion on the top plate defined by a scoring line partially severable from the top plate designed for liquid to flow out of the beverage can once severed; a small frangible portion on the top plate defined by a scoring line partially severable from the top plate designed for air passage once severed; a rivet fixedly attached to the top plate; and a stay-on-tab designed to sever both of the frangible portions having a wide first end and a narrow second end, pivotally and rotatably secured to the rivet and coupled to the top plate via the rivet, the wide first end proximate the rivet and large frangible portion designed to sever the large frangible portion, the narrow second end proximate the small frangible portion designed to sever the small frangible portion.
 2. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 1, wherein the narrow second end has a small tip smaller than the size of the small frangible portion.
 3. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 1, wherein the rivet is located in the center of the top plate and is proximate the large frangible portion and distant the small frangible portion.
 4. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 1, wherein the tab may have different shapes and sizes to enhance the functionality of the tab.
 5. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 1, wherein the small frangible portion may be located on different positions relative to the large frangible portion as long as it is within the range of the tab.
 6. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 1, wherein the rivet functions as a fulcrum for the tab to pivot about and the tab functions as a lever to facilitate opening of the small frangible portions, when the tab's wide end is lifted up, the tab's narrow end is tilted towards the small frangible portion and severs the small frangible portion of the top, creating an air hole.
 7. A beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism comprising: a top plate of a beverage can; a large frangible portion on the top plate defined by a scoring line partially severable from the top plate designed for liquid to flow out of the beverage can once severed; a small frangible portion on the top plate defined by a scoring line partially severable from the top plate designed for air passage once severed; a rivet fixedly attached to the top plate; and a stay-on-tab having a first end with a small tip for severing both of the frangible portions and a second end for lifting up, pivotally and rotatably secured to the rivet and coupled to the top plate via the rivet, the small tip is smaller than the size of the small frangible portion.
 8. A beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 7, wherein the rivet functions as a fulcrum for the tab to pivot about and the tab functions as a lever to facilitate the small tip to sever the large frangible portion when it faces the large portion and the tab is then rotated to have the small tip face towards the small frangible portion and function as a lever to facilitate the small tip to sever the small frangible portion.
 9. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 7, wherein the tab may have different shapes and sizes to enhance the functionality of the tab.
 10. The beverage can's top having a new stay-on-tab opening mechanism of claim 7, wherein the small frangible portion may be located on different positions relative to the large frangible portion as long as it is within the range of the tab. 